Jareth
by Carefree
Summary: Jareth deals with Laura, one in the line of many girls trying to regain her sibling, and then meets Sarah.


Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or Jareth (drat ^_~) or any of the other characters or anything in this story except the vague idea and two of the names. .Unfortunately.^_~  
  
Jareth smiled as he watched the young girl make her way through his Labyrinth. What was her name this time? Oh yes, Laura. She was about 17 years old probably, and had light brown short hair. She was nearly three fourths of the way through, and frankly he was surprised she'd gotten so far. He'd placed many obsticals in her path but she seemed to have dumb luck on her side. He sighed. Well, the part he enjoyed the most wouldn't happen until, or if, she made it to the castle. He glanced at his 13-hour clock. Three hours left. She might make it on her own. He frowned and stopped the clock. She'd make it eventually but not in three hours. And it had been so long since anyone had made it all the way. He glanced over at the child. It was a young girl this time. Curly haired and blonde, smiling toothlessly and disarmingly at the nearby Goblins. Picturing that same grin on the face of the Goblin she would soon become, Jareth chuckled to himself. Soon enough, he assured himself. A smile of anticipation crept across his face.  
  
When Jareth next looked into his crystal hours later, he saw that Laura had made it almost to the gate. At the same time, a Goblin in armor came in, running. "Your highness! Your highness, the girl!" "Yes, I see her," Jareth said impatiently. "Your orders?" with a dismissive wave of his hand, his eyes never leaving the crystal, he answered. "Send out the guards to stop her. The usual. But-" He finally looked at his soldier. "Be sure to leave a clear path. I want this one to make it in." As the Goblin bowed and went out he turned back to his crystal. "It's been far too long," he whispered.  
  
Not too long afterwards, he saw the girl entering the castle. He quickly made his way into the staircase room. A few minutes later she entered. She caught her breath as she saw the many staircases, some upside down, some sideways, a few normal, all connected somehow. The child played her part well, moving about, never staying still. He saw the shock on Laura's face when the child climbed an upside down staircase and laughed. She heard and turned to face him. His song began. "How you turn my world You precious thing."  
  
Laura steeled herself and jumped.too far. Down she fell, past the staircases, past the floating pieces of stone that seemed to say the world had come apart at the seams. Jareth stepped out of the shadows, clothed in white. The girl began to speak, trying as they all had to recite the words that would stop him. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen." She paused. "For.for." Beginning to panic, she searched frantically through her mind for the words but they escaped her. Jareth smiled triumphantly. He held out the crystal. "Look, Laura. Look what I'm offering you: your dreams." The girl stared in fascination at the crystal. He knew what she saw. Everything she wanted. Then she suddenly looked up at him. "Melody," she said. The child. Jareth sighed and gestured vaguely with his hand. Instantly the child appeared in his arms. Laura gasped and reached for the child, but Jareth pulled away and, before she could object, held up the crystal once more. He held it right before her face and its affect was all he'd hoped for. Visions and scenes danced through the crystal and reflected in her eyes. She stopped, her mouth still open but the angry words gone, and stared, fascinated. He offered it to her and she reached out to take it. The baby began to cry and reach for her but she waved at it impatiently and took the crystal. As her hand touched it, the spell broke. She looked up at him, shock and horror blazing in her eyes. It was the look, the moment he had wanted. She vanished, back to where she had come from.  
  
Now Jareth watched another girl make her way through his Labyrinth. This one's name was Sarah and she seemed to have made an impression on the Dwarf. Who was he? Hedgewart? Higgle? And now she seemed to be befriending that great beast, Ludo. But this one had something about her, something that made him want her to make it. He wanted to meet this one. He smiled as he imagined how he would crush her defiance. How he would break her very will and watch the horror in her eyes as she realized what she had done.  
  
And then she was in the castle. He waited for her in the staircase room as was his usual routine. As she stared around at the impossible structures he once again began his song. "How you turn my world You precious thing. You starve and near exhaust me." Just like the others she jumped too far and fell slowly down through the broken reality. He stepped out of the shadows, dressed in white. This one questioned him. "What have you done that's generous?" Irritated, he snapped off his reasons and waited patiently as she began her lines. She would fail as all the others had. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castly, beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen." To his surprise she continued. "For my will is as strong as yours. And my Kingdom as-" "Wait! Stop." He held out the crystal. It shouldn't happen like this, he thought. She's not supposed to remember the entire passage! But despite his words of persuasion and the crystal he offered, she continued. "And my Kingdom is as great." It was then that she paused. Rejoicing inside, he once again held out the crystal. But she ignored it, concentrating on remembering her lines. He frowned, confused. She was a very special girl, not giving in so easily. Finally she met his eyes and he knew she had remembered. "You have no power over me." He sighed, disappointed. He would have like to have had more time, but once those words were said.well, it was tradition. He tossed the crystal up into the air and folded his cloak around himself, formed himself into the Owl. He would keep an eye on this one, even in the mortal realm.  
  
As the Owl took off from the limb outside her window, it seemed to be scowling. Indeed, Jareth was, in his mind. She had taken his servants from him. Even some of his Goblin guards had gone to her at her reasonless call. He flew back to his castle, steaming. This wasn't over. 


End file.
